DALLAS — Rafael Cortes bought special eclipse glasses months ago for 30 members of his large family. It was a moment he was excited to share from his home since the path of totality ran right through his city.
But sometimes life does not always go to plan.
Rafael, 28, was diagnosed in 2022 with duodenal cancer and it has advanced to Stage 4 metastatic cancer.
"Cancer doesn't discriminate. Cancer can happen to anybody. It's tore my family apart," said Cortes.
Officials at Parkland Hospital wanted to give the Cortes family their special eclipse moment. They organized a special gathering for the family outside the hospital in the nearby garden. His wife of two years, Cynthia, and their nine-year-old son, Brandon, showed up to the hospital room to escort him outside before the partial eclipse began.
"He's everything to me. I'm glad God put him in my path," said Cynthia.
Cortes tells WFAA that fighting off cancer has been very difficult. He said in 2022 doctors gave him two months to live. He says his family has been his inspiration to fight.
Cortes says his focus now is on making memories with his family. And Monday, provided the perfect opportunity.
"Things like this make us forget...a little bit [about the cancer],"
Totality only lasted about two minutes, but those two minutes meant more to the Cortes family than it did for most of us.